When I'm at the gym, and I'm surrounded by people running on treadmills, going really fast on elliptical machines, and cranking it out on exercise bikes, I'm going so slowly that I must look like a flamingo in the midst of a group of hummingbirds.

I can't help it - it makes me laugh.It's okay if I'm the only one who finds that mental picture funny.

PS: A group of hummingbirds is called a 'charm.' I've included the link for the rather fascinating list that I found when I looked for that information:

Did not know that about the hummingbirds! And I find that thought about the flamingo VERY funny too! Exactly depicts how I felt back when I went to a gym!!!

Ok, so not doing so well on the weight goal. June 13th is a lot closer, and my weight is relatively the same (147 this morning), so I have to revamp the goal somewhat. Now I'm aiming for 142, and I've decided I WILL wear shorts to the event. It's a 5k walk/run, and I'm sure I won't be the only one who doesn't look perfect in shorts. I may break down and get some gradual tan lotion so I'm not glow in the dark, turbo-white.

"The thing about food, is you're a much happier person if you eat well and treasure your meals."-Julia Child

So, it's called a mischief of (gym) rats. From my experience people try and "compete" while in the gym. Looking good, lifting the most weight, running the fastest on the treadmill (I've done that), and trying to otherwise look like you mean business and you're super-human, and you'd like to be doing an info-mercial some day.

That's why I like running by my very slow self, I only "compete" with myself. I always go back to my old saw (especially to do with fitness), you can only be at "the top" for so long (if ever), because there's always someone who can "take over" down the line, mostly because of age. It's a fact of life, I guess. Some of the longer stints might be swimmers (if you look at Olympic sports). That also goes for the circles you "compete" in. Someone's gym is just like thousands of other gyms with the same types of people in them. The Olympics might be a way to determine the best of the best, but even then, how many didn't quite make it because of lack of support to get there in the first place. I work with a lady who made the Olympic trials in swimming, but her parents refused to put out the money it would take to help her train for it. Sort of like the effect of beauty pageants.

Looking good, lifting the most weight, running the fastest on the treadmill (I've done that), and trying to otherwise look like you mean business and you're super-human, and you'd like to be doing an info-mercial some day.

Thanks for the laugh, ST.

Good points that you made, also.

'Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.'